Paranoid
by Kacee
Summary: Is Mitchie really seeing faces in the darkness or is she just being paranoid? When everything begins to spiral out of control will her friends believe her? Or will it already be too late? SMITCHIE, NAITLYN. Cowritten with the amazing .ConverseWithMyDress.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys, it's Emma and Kacee. Welcome to our new story that we're co-writing together. =)**

**It's starts off with the gang all back for a second year of camp rock.**

**Flashbacks in italics.**

**Read on and enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: We very sadly do not own Camp Rock or any of the characters. Yeah, boo hoo. ='(**

* * *

Mitchie Torres wandered down the familiar paths, her unwilling feet leading her over the already mud smothered track towards her cabin. Her eyes were fixated firmly upon her shoes. She was afraid to look up, afraid to see the surroundings that had once held so many warm memories for her.

Things had changed dramatically since the last time she had set foot at Camp Rock, and now the nostalgia that she felt at being back there only made her heart ache for the way things used to be.

Even though she knew that it was impossible.

She paused and swept a loose strand of hair away from her face before resuming her weary stride.

The camp was still so fresh in her mind that she knew exactly where she was going; this was a trail that she had walked countless times before. She could smell the moist earth, newly dampened by the previous night's rain; hear the birds' constant chatter amongst the trees; see the mingled footprints already strewn across the path, and just as she had thought, it made her mind explode with painful memories of that summer. A summer so filled with exuberance and adventure that the mere thought of it sent a miserable jolt through her body.

Mitchie had adored this place, the scenery, the people, even the scent that seemed to cling to every inch of the Camp. But now the devotion towards the place that had transformed her had died, lying crushed and mangled in the empty pit of her stomach.

Her eyes journeyed upwards as she warily surveyed the scenery. Everything looked so different, yet nothing had changed. The cabins were still the same cedar buildings that had once filled her with such excitement, and had reduced her to heavy lashings of tears when forced to leave them. But there was no adrenalin pulsing through her veins now. There was no emotion in her eyes, no expression on her face. Her entire body felt strangely numb.

Mitchie closed her eyes and took in a deep intoxicating breath, praying that it would help to clear her mind of all of the miserable thoughts and images that had been haunting her since that fateful day a few months earlier.

The pain continued to pulse through her, and she shook her head with a slight scoff.

_What was wrong with her?_

She needed to calm down, to breathe. She was being stupid. Overreacting. Sure, coming back to Camp Rock hadn't been exactly what she had wanted, but she was determined to ignore the persistent wavers of defiance and hatred that were nagging at the back of her mind.

_"Mitchie, honey? Can I come in?"_

_Mitchie's heart twanged at the sound of her mother's lifeless voice, the voice that proved her mother was really just as empty as her. _

_But she didn't answer. _

_She couldn't. _

_She had barely spoken to anyone in weeks, barely even taken a step outside of her bedroom. Her guitar lay lifelessly across her bed, abandoned, strings yearning to be plucked and strummed._

__

Connie poked a weary head through the doorway, concern obvious on her face. "Mitchie?" she questioned timidly.

Mitchie refused to look at her. She didn't even acknowledge her entrance. Her glazed eyes were fixed on the wall in front of her with a glare so intense Connie was amazed the bricks didn't crumble.

"I have a surprise for you," Connie said quietly, inching a few steps closer to her motionless daughter. She clenched her teeth slightly and took a deep breath. Mitchie was not going to like this.

"You're going back to Camp Rock."

_There was a tense silence before Mitchie turned to face her mother. __"I'm what?" she said, her voice hoarse from lack of use._

_"Going to Camp Rock," Connie repeated with a bit more strength._

_"No, I'm not," Mitchie replied without a moment's hesitation._

_"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter," Connie said firmly. "It's already been sorted."_

_"I'm not going. I don't want to go back there, and you can't make me!" Mitchie cried with sudden stubbornness, rising from her place on the bed. Her chest rose and fell as sharp breaths raced through her body._

_"You live under my roof Mitchie, and you will do as I tell you!" Connie retorted. _

_Mitchie seemed taken aback by this comment. It took a long moments silence before she realised that she didn't have any real argument against her mother; she wasn't going to win this. Her stony features suddenly melted away and tears began to shine in her large hazel eyes._

_"Why?" she whispered, her eyes falling upon the floor._

_"Oh honey," Connie murmured, reaching forward to comfort her daughter._

_Mitchie backed away from her mother's embrace; her face showing the hurt she was feeling. "Why?" she repeated brokenly._

_"Because you need this, Mitchie; you need music and you need your friends! How do you expect to get better when you just shut yourself in this room all day?" Connie replied, looking upset. "You don't sleep, you hardly eat and I don't even remember the last time you sang."_

_"I don't need music and I don't need friends. Why can't you just leave me alone for once in your life? I'm fine as I am." Mitchie replied shakily, sitting down against her bed._

_"That's a lie." Connie's own eyes began to water as she looked down at what was now a mere shadow of her once so joyful daughter._

_"It's not," Mitchie mumbled. _

_Her voice cracked and she felt instantly guilty. _

_It was a lie, of course it was. She lived for music; it had always been the thing that she had turned to when everything else started to collapse around her; it had always helped her through. _

_But not this time. _

_She couldn't do it anymore, she couldn't think of the words or the notes, she couldn't remember what she had once found so wonderful and inspirational about music. She couldn't remember what she had once found so wonderful and inspirational about friendship either, or about life itself. _

_There was nothing left to look forward to now. It was truly like she had come a full one hundred and eighty degrees from her former self; life's hardships had changed her. She wasn't the same person anymore._

_"Mitchie, can't you see what you're doing to yourself, what you're doing to your family?" Connie questioned tenderly, kneeling in front of Mitchie and smoothing the hair from her eyes. "Please, just do this for me Mitchie, me and your father." _

_Mitchie looked up her mother, her eyes now overflowing with tears and she bit her lip, her mind whirring through all the possibilities. _

_"Please?" Connie repeated, her eyes hopeful._

_Mitchie took a deep breath, her hands shaking at the mere prospect of facing her old friends. "Ok," she finally whispered, dipping her head once more. "Ok."_

_Connie rose up thankfully and placed a loving kiss upon her fragile daughter's cheek._

_"I'll give you some time and then I'll help you pack, sweetie," Connie promised as she turned away, a relieved sigh escaping her lips. _

_Mitchie merely nodded. Her hands gripped the edge of the bed tightly as she tried to get her head around what she had just agreed to. Blood pumped furiously through her veins._

_"Thank you," Connie whispered as she disappeared, closing the door behind her. _

_As soon as she heard the footsteps fade away Mitchie threw herself against the bed, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. She shoved her guitar forcefully off of the bed, taking pleasure in the dull thud that resounded as it hit the floor._

Mitchie was forced to stop as the memories crashed into her mind, regret overwhelming her as she remembered how she had treated her mother over the past months. Tears stung her eyes. She tittered backwards, her legs feeling weak beneath her at the memories of her time away from camp.

She leant up against a tree for support, struggling to hold back the tears.

The past was behind her; it was nothing but memories now. This was the last time she would let herself be overcome by these emotions.

"Where are we going?"

Mitchie's heart clenched as the familiar voice hit her eardrums. Her throat felt raw. She spun around and let out a small, soundless sigh as she realised that he wasn't talking to her. He couldn't even see her, the large trunk was blocking her from view.

"Where are we going, Nate?"

Fresh tears splashed against Mitchie's cheeks, and she balled her fists to stop herself from sobbing. She hadn't realised that just hearing his voice would have such an effect on her. With a quick prayer she shimmied around the tree, her breath haggard at the fear of being seen. She knew she would have to face him sometime, but she couldn't do it yet. She was too fragile, too vulnerable at the moment.

The last thing she wanted was to burst into tears in front of Shane Grey. No. That couldn't happen. She needed time to prepare.

Mitchie sank down against the tree as she heard the two voices get quieter, the footsteps dying out as the pair retreated. She hadn't realised how much she had missed Shane.

Every inch of her wanted to scream his name, to be enveloped in his strong, protective arms, to have him calm her and make everything okay again.

But she knew that that wasn't even an option, not now.

_Mitchie turned her head to her buzzing alarm, her lifeless eyes acknowledging the flashing time that lit the room in an ominous green glow. She wasn't sure why she continued to set her alarm; she hardly ever slept, and even when she did, she was plagued with nightmares that would soon awaken her from her murderous slumber. _

_Mitchie wiped a hand over her eyes. She rose from her bed, crossing the room towards the tempting glass of water that rested on the other side. _

_She grunted as her foot crashed against a small, hard object on the floor. With a muttered curse she knelt down, picking up the cell phone that had lay forgotten for so long. It looked almost foreign to her now. _

_Mitchie pressed the on button and watched as the phone buzzed and glowed, receiving message after message and voicemail after voicemail. _

_Oops. _

_She had promised to call her friends, to keep in contact with them after she had left Camp. _

_But fate had intervened, and it had affected her so deeply that she had completely forgotten about what she had promised. Mitchie held the phone to her ear hesitantly….the first few messages were simple and light-hearted._

_"Hey Mitch, it's Caitlyn. I miss you already! Give me a call, we need to meet up, love you."_

_"Mitchie. How's things? Guess what? I made a birdhouse, it's awesome, you have to come see it. Well give me a call back when you get this. Bye. Oh, it's Jason by the way!"_

_Mitchie felt the urge to smile at the sound of Jason's sweet sing-song voice, but she just didn't have the energy. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled anymore, she didn't even know if she could remember how to smile. _

_She felt her heart begin to pound in her chest as the messages started to vary with intensity; some people stopped calling all together, some even questioned if this was her real number. _

_But two people remained throughout, leaving messages almost daily, begging her to call them back: Shane and Caitlyn, her two best friends from Camp. _

_Once they had tired of leaving messages on her cell phone, they had tried ringing her home number. It took all of the persuasiveness in Mitchie's body to convince her mother to lie to them and say that she was out. Every time they called, Connie had reluctantly told them the same thing: She's away at the moment, Shane. Oh, sorry, she's at her friend's house today, Caitlyn. _

_Mitchie felt her empty stomach course with an explosion of agony as she listened to the last message._

_"Hi Mitchie, It's Shane, again. I-erm-I don't really know what to say anymore. I thought perhaps this wasn't your actual number at first, but I know that if that was true you would at least answer your home phone. I don't know why you're doing this, but I'm worried Mitchie, I just want to know if you're okay. Please, if you get this, please just ring me. Once I know you're all right I'll stop annoying you with my phone calls if that's what you want. I spoke to Caitlyn and I hear you're doing the same thing to her. We're really worried, Mitch. Just please give us a call? I hope you're ok, I really do. We're your friends, so give us a chance. It's been so long and we haven't heard a word from you, so I... I really don't know anymore, Mitchie. Bye."_

_Mitchie looked down at the phone as the message finished, her thumb hovering over the call button. She sighed and tossed the phone under the bed. She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell him what had happened. _

_What would he say? _

_It didn't matter anyway. She didn't care anymore. She didn't need them._

Mitchie Torres knew it was time. She gathered herself together, pulling herself up from her place upon the floor, rubbing down her ripped, loose fitting jeans and her baggy sweat-shirt. She ran a harried hand through her hair and took a step forward.

It wasn't far now.

Her feet dragged her to the place where she knew her best friend would be. Ex best friend, she reminded herself sadly.

It took a while for her shaking limbs to get her to the steps that led to her cabin. Her pulse started racing as she placed one quivering hand upon the door knob and pushed the door open.

She couldn't hear anything. There was a shallow silence.

_Maybe Caitlyn wasn't there yet_. _Maybe she wasn't coming at all._

Mitchie felt a small buzz of excitement at the thought of not having to deal with a confrontation, but it quickly evaporated as her trembling legs led her into the cabin.

Three faces were staring at her in disbelief.

_Great_, Mitchie thought sarcastically as she looked over at not only Caitlyn but Shane and Nate as well.

Neither said a word, all their mouths hung open and an awkward silence filled the room.

Mitchie shifted nervously on the spot as three pairs of eyes latched onto hers. She tore her gaze away, forcing her weak body to move over to the bed. She kept her eyes down, placing her bag on the floor and beginning to unpack her stuff.

"Not even a hello?" Caitlyn asked, her voice thick with disdain. Mitchie froze. "I'm really glad our friendship means so much to you," Caitlyn said bitterly. Mitchie spun around, her eyes wide. _What was she on about?_ _Of course it had meant something to her!_

"Well, I'm guessing it meant just as much as ours did," Shane added, throwing a sympathetic smile towards Caitlyn who was now standing next to Nate, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Look, I really really don't want to be here okay, so can you please just get off of my back?" Mitchie snapped, stunning herself and the three other cabin occupants with her unnaturally harsh tone. "Can we please just forget about everything?" Mitchie pleaded, her voice taking on a softer, more fragile edge.

"Just forget that you completely dismissed your friendship with everyone?" Caitlyn spat. "Why should we?"

"Caitlyn's right," Shane added. "You haven't even apologised for ignoring our calls. You're alive and well, aren't you? I don't see any reason why you couldn't have even sent us a text," he finished, his eyes clearly showing the pain that he felt.

"I'm sorry," Mitchie whispered.

A long silence followed.

"Why did you do it, Mitchie? Did you even have a reason?"

She bit down on her lower lip, unsure of how to reply.

"No," She lied finally. "I... I didn't." She wanted them to forgive her, she truly did, but she couldn't stand the pain that retelling the horrific events would bring her. Months had passed since that fateful day, but it was all still too agonizingly fresh for Mitchie.

"Then…apology not accepted," Shane replied quietly, shaking his head. He moved back to stand beside a stony faced Caitlyn.

"Fine!" Mitchie snapped, unable to contain the anger that was suddenly threatening to explode within her.

She had to get out of there.

She barged past the staunch trio and ran through the front door, leaving it gaping open behind her.

Her feeble legs pulled her hastily through the grounds of Camp Rock, finally stopping when they reached the dock. The misery subsided for a brief second as she relived the fond moments that she had had in the area.

The suffering quickly returned as she let herself fall against the floor, her back resting upon an overturned canoe. Mitchie quickly broke the promise to herself and let the tears rack through her broken body, much like they had done so many times over the previous months.

Her body now seemed almost immune to the agony that coursed through her, but her heart still felt empty, and that feeling of loss kept the tears flowing freely over her pale cheeks.

She didn't need her friends. She didn't need anyone; not her mother, not Brown. She didn't need this stupid Camp either.

They had thrown her friendship in her face, they had left her alone, and she didn't care anymore.

Deep down she knew that they wouldn't have reacted in that way if they knew what she had been through, if they knew of the tragedy that had ripped her apart piece by piece.

But it was too late for friendship and words of comfort now.... Mitchie Torres was already broken beyond repair.

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**A/N: We had a lot of fun writing this together, and we can assure you that there is A LOT more drama (And romance!) to come.**

**Please review and tell us what you thought of it, it would make our day =)**

**Do you think we should continue?**

**Thanks!**

**Hugs,**

**Emma and Kacee.**

**PS: Don't worry, I am still writing Harder To Breathe. Emma and I just came up with this idea for a story and decided we had to post it. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello lovelies! Emma and Kacee here again. Thank you soo much for all of your reviews, you guys are the sweetest! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

Caitlyn Gellar shifted uncomfortably in her seat in the classroom, her feet drumming with unconscious rhythm upon the floor. Her gaze was fixed upon the doorway in front of her.

_Mitchie._

That was the name that kept repeating like a broken record in her head.

What had happened to her? What had happened to their friendship? It had once been so strong, but now it seemed to have shrivelled and died until it was almost nothing; just an abandoned memory, unwanted and unloved.

Caitlyn ran a shaky hand through her hair, unable to fight the unease that was rising up inside her.

She sat trance-like for a few minutes before finally coming to and shaking her head in disgust.

Why was she acting so nervous?

Sure, she hadn't seen Mitchie since their argument. But that wasn't Caitlyn's fault; Mitchie hadn't been there when she had gone to sleep and she hadn't been there when she had woken up, even though it was obvious that her bed had been slept in. Caitlyn knew she was safe and that she was somewhere on Camp grounds, but she just couldn't shake the nagging feeling of anxiety inside her.

Something wasn't right.

There was a voice in the back of her head screaming that there was more to the situation than she had first perceived; that there was a reason behind Mitchie's heartless actions.

Caitlyn suddenly scoffed, bemused at her thoughts. She was being stupid. She wanted so much to believe that Mitchie had had a good excuse for ignoring her friends that she was making up crazy stories and excuses in her head.

But Mitchie hadn't had a good excuse; she hadn't had any excuse! She had even admitted it herself.

Why would she lie about that? Why would she tell a fib that would result in the end of all of her friendships? No one would do that, surely!

Caitlyn's eyes drifted over to the clock, her foot tapping even more feverishly against the wooden floors. It was five minutes until class. Caitlyn sighed as she returned her gaze to the door, her glare almost burning a hole in the wood. The muffled noises of her classmates conversing reached her ears. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of tuneful voices and hurried drumbeats accompanying her thoughts. She chewed on her nail nervously as she watched the motionless door, not sure whether she would feel relieved or angry when and if Mitchie finally burst into the classroom.

And just as suddenly as she had thought it, a figure entered the room.

Caitlyn leant back in her seat slightly as Mitchie walked through the door, her eyes glued to the floor beneath her and her head hung dejectedly. She watched her wander over to her seat, trying her hardest to be invisible.

Caitlyn was shocked by the lashings of emotions that crashed against her ribs as she watched Mitchie enter the room. She felt the urge to confront her once more, but she held herself back, her fists clenched tightly on the desk in front of her.

Besides, right now there was a stronger urge within her, a crazier urge; an urge to get up and engulf her once best friend in a hug.

There was something about Mitchie that seemed different, lifeless, something about her that was screaming for help…or was it something that was just plain screaming?

Caitlyn was pulled from her thoughts by the scene in front of her.

A gasp escaped her lips as she anticipated the unavoidable event that was about to happen.

But it was too late.

As she opened her mouth to warn her, Mitchie walked straight into the one, the only, Tess Tyler.

The class all turned to watch the action, waiting with baited breath as the rest unfolded in what seemed like slow motion. Mitchie fell backwards with a surprised shriek, having not been fully concentrating on where she was going, and landed in a confused heap on the floor.

Tess was a bit more fortunate.

She stumbled backwards, only to be caught by the two guys who stood loyally behind her.

Her new minions, Caitlyn presumed.

One held onto Tess a little too tightly, gazing into her eyes with a fierce protectiveness that made Caitlyn feel uneasy.

He was of average height and held an easily recognisable muscular physique under his tight shirt. His hair was a dark shade of brown, and Caitlyn couldn't help but notice that he possessed an unconventionally attractive face.

The other male had curls of strawberry blonde hair and his build was a lot slimmer, but he still towered over the other boy. As Caitlyn analysed the guys more she thought she could detect a distinct resemblance between the two.

"What the hell?!" Tess shrieked, dragging Caitlyn back to reality. Tess tittered forward as her new followers pushed her upright. "Watch where you're going!" she scorned as she glared at the brunette who was still sprawled upon the floor.

Her eyes widened with distaste as she recognized her.

"Oh, it's you! Great." Tess muttered, rolling her eyes sarcastically as Mitchie looked up at her. "So Mitchie…what's mother going to be this year? The president of the United states perhaps?" Tess teased. The two guys, as if reading a script, began to laugh harmoniously at Tess' cruel jest.

Caitlyn shook her head in disgust as she realised that the friendly and apologetic Tess had been exterminated over the last months. The corrupt and self-loving Tess was back for a second year and a second round.

Perfect.

Caitlyn watched as Mitchie slowly pulled herself to her feet, the laughter of the click still growing in volume.

She uncrossed her arms, deciding it was time to intervene. No matter how angry she was at Mitchie, she was not going to sit back and watch her be bullied. But before Caitlyn could even rise from her seat, Mitchie opened her mouth…

"Shut up, Tess," she muttered, causing Caitlyn to raise her eyebrows. She hadn't expected Mitchie to stand up for herself.

"Ooh, good comeback," Tess teased through her laughter. "So how's good old Connie? Still cooking up a storm?" Caitlyn opened her mouth to speak but was once again cut off by Mitchie.

"Seriously Tess, how can you even ask me about my mum? You're not exactly one to talk, when was the last time you even saw your mum?" Mitchie spat, a satisfied look appearing on her face as she watched Tess' smirk disappear.

"Shut up," Tess retorted. The muscular guy beside her clenched his fists warningly at Mitchie.

"Good comeback," Mitchie taunted, stepping a little closer to Tess. She lowered her voice till it was nothing more than a hiss. "I'm not going to take any of your crap this year, Tess," she warned fearlessly. "So why don't you just go and screw up another performance."

Mitchie pushed past Tess and took her seat as the majority of the class erupted into cheers and laughter.

Tess narrowed her eyes and stalked from the class, her minions close at her heels. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the experience except for Caitlyn, whose own eyes were narrowed. She pursed her lips as she analysed Mitchie, her mind reeling over the sudden and abrupt change in her ex-best friend.

"Hello Campers." Browns voice crashed into Caitlyn's mind a few minutes later, forcing her to finally tear her eyes away from the back of Mitchie's head. "Is everyone glad to be back? And I see we have some fresh new faces." Brown began, his eyes skimming over the students in his class, most  
of whom cheered and greeted him with gleeful voices.

"Ok, ok, let's start this year off with a song from…" Brown extended his arm, letting his finger dance over the heads of each student, a few groans protruding as 'the finger' bypassed them. "You, Mitchie," Brown said with a smile. Mitchie's neck snapped up. "I'm not singing," she retorted. Brown chuckled slightly, and Mitchie blushed as she realized that everybody's eyes were on her.

"That's not an option my dear, the finger picked you," Brown laughed, waggling his finger in front of her. "Now up you get, why not give us a Mitchie original?"

"I said no!" Mitchie spat, causing Brown to furrow his eyebrows as he looked down at the fragile girl.

"Now Mitchie, I know it's scary but you'll have to do it again one day. You've done it before so just get up and give us a sample," Brown encouraged gently, knowing all too well to be careful with Mitchie.

"I.. said... NO!" Mitchie shouted, unable to stop the anger from erupting inside her. "You can't make me do anything I don't want to do! Why can't you understand that this stuff doesn't interest me anymore?!" Angry tears stung her eyes and her breaths came out in haggard gasps.

The fury was bubbling up inside her.

She hated this place.

She hated the people.

They were staring at her now, the intrigue clear in their eyes, and she couldn't stand it.

The feeling of claustrophobia overwhelmed her, and she leapt up from her seat, throwing her bag aggressively over her shoulder. "I don't want to sing!" she shouted furiously. "I don't want to be in this stupid class with all of these stupid people! I'm sick of Camp Rock; I never even wanted to come back in the first place, so just leave me alone!"

Mitchie raced out of the class without looking back, slamming the door shut as hard as she possibly could. The walls shook from the shear force of it, and the class was left in a painful and deafening silence.

* * *

"She did what?" Shane gasped as he skidded to a halt, Caitlyn's tales of her previous class causing his pulse to quicken. His muscles tightened at the image of Mitchie shouting at his uncle.

He couldn't imagine it.

It wasn't Mitchie, or at least not the Mitchie he knew. The old Mitchie would never have done anything like that.

"You heard me." Caitlyn replied glumly, turning to face Shane. "She refused to sing as well." Her voice grew quiet. She knew as well as Shane that this wasn't normal Mitchie behaviour.

"She refused to sing?" Shane repeated. It wasn't quite a question; he was just testing the words on his tongue to see how it felt.

And it didn't seem right, not by a long shot.

Mitchie loved to sing, it was her life.

Shane rubbed his hands over his face as Caitlyn's previous words echoed around his mind.

Something was wrong.

They both knew it; they just had no idea what it was.

"What's the matter with her?" Shane questioned almost inaudibly, his eyes locking onto Caitlyn's, positive that the concern and fear that he saw in her eyes was most likely mirrored in his own.

"I don't know," she replied slowly, pressing her lips into a hard line as she replayed Mitchie's shouts in her mind, her eyes flickering back up to Shane's as she remembered too much. "Have you seen her, I mean, _really_ seen her?" she asked after a moment.

Shane frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Of course he had seen her. It had only been briefly though, and he had been so consumed by anger that he couldn't really remember truly _seeing_ her.

"Don't worry, I'm probably just being silly," Caitlyn said after a long pause. "Let's go get some lunch."

She forced herself to stop chewing on her lip and turn back towards the Mess hall. Shane followed her, sensing that there was something that she wasn't voicing.

"Everything will be alright Cait, you'll see. This is probably just a big misunderstanding. Don't worry, we'll fix it," Shane said sincerely as he caught up with her, giving her a one-armed hug. "I'll talk to her."

The final statement took both of them by surprise and Caitlyn whispered her subdued approval before they entered the Mess hall. The smell of burgers that wafted up to their noses was overwhelming. They couldn't help but wish that Connie Torres was still the chef, for more than one reason.

"She's over there," Caitlyn whispered in Shane's ear a few seconds later.

Shane followed her gaze, his eyes resting upon a girl he could only presume to be Mitchie. She was sitting alone, her hair settled messily over her face as she stared down at a plate of food.

Shane took a deep breath and took a step forward, his mind whirling as he heard Caitlyn whisper "Look at her…"

"M-Mitchie?" Shane stuttered once he reached her table. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous. "Mitchie?" he said again when the brunette refused to look up. "Mitchie!" Shane repeated, more vehemently this time, taking a seat opposite her and reaching out to touch her hand.

"What!?" she hissed, her neck snapping up as she snatched her hand away. Shane stiffened. His eyes scanned over her features, and he suddenly realised what Caitlyn had been talking about. He sucked in a breath, unable to believe that Mitchie was really the empty shell of a being that sat before him now.

Her eyes were framed with raven circles.

Her hair was lank and colourless.

Her once rosy face was now a pale ivory, and hauntingly so.

She looked like a zombie.

It wasn't just her appearance that made Shane think so. It was the feeling that she emanated. It was dull, lifeless; the spark that he had adored so much had been extinguished.

"Are you okay?" Shane questioned timidly, stumbling over his words as he tried to shake the fear from his mind.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Mitchie retorted, returning her gaze to the untouched plate of food in front of her.

"I don't know," Shane admitted. He clasped his fingers together nervously. "Tell me what's wrong?"  
His voice was tender as he examined the girl in front of him.

"There isn't anything wrong," Mitchie replied almost instantly, letting her fork slide through her food. She said it in a way that convinced Shane that it was a line that she had used numerous times before.

A lie.

He pursed his lips as his gaze transferred again to her face, his chest tightening as he noticed the way her cheeks sunk in slightly, the way her eyes lacked their usual lustre and vibrancy. He abruptly dropped his eyes to her body, his fears being confirmed as he noted an unhealthy amount of weight loss.

Shane took a deep breath as fear clutched onto his heart, gripping tighter with every hasty beat.

"Why aren't you eating?" Shane asked, deciding now was not the time to be subtle. He needed answers and he needed them now.

"I am, I'm just not that hungry," Mitchie replied after a tense silence. As if on cue she raised a fork full of sweet corn to her mouth, but Shane noticed the flicker of repulsion that crossed her features as she tasted it. He watched in silence as she chewed on the food, her eyes showing the agony and hardship that she felt.

"Ok." Shane was still unconvinced. He tried a new tactic. "Mitchie, I'm not an idiot. Please just tell me what's wrong, I can help."

"There's nothing wrong, Shane!" Mitchie snapped, her raised voice causing a few surrounding campers to turn their heads in interest. "Stop acting like you care, you threw my apology back in my face yesterday. I know you hate me," she spat, letting her fork drop onto the plate as she eyed her food in disgust.

"I don't hate you!" Shane retorted, his eyes wide. "I only said I didn't forgive you because you never gave me a reason why you've been avoiding us all this time! So tell me, Mitchie! I want the truth, why did you ignore all of my phone calls? Why are you pretending that there's nothing wrong, when it's quite obvious that something is? I'm not stupid, I know there's something bothering you...Just let me help…please," Shane recited, his voice growing softer as he went on, the last few words almost inaudible. His eyes were shining with genuine affection and fear.

Mitchie seemed taken aback by his sincerity.

She ran a frail hand through her knotted hair, trying to decipher her own thoughts. When she finally looked up at him he could have sworn that her eyes were glimmering with unshed tears.

"Shane…" she started, her voice cracking as she looked down at the table. Shane was positive that she had succumbed to his pleas, but she quickly composed herself, raising her head with determination. "There is nothing wrong with me. Thanks for the concern but I don't need it. For the last time... I. AM. FINE."

Shane shook his head in disbelief at the lie, but Mitchie continued before he could object. "And just so you know, even if I wasn't, you would be the last person I confided in… Why would I want _your_ help?" Mitchie asked sourly, her knees quivering under the table.

She couldn't understand what she was doing. All she knew was that she had to get Shane away from her, stop him from pressing the topic which he knew nothing about, the topic that sent excruciating pain throughout her body.

Shane rubbed the back of his neck in frustration as he digested the words, letting the bitterness stab into his heart. "Fine, I won't help you," he whispered, rising up from his seat. "You can deal with whatever it is you're going through by yourself, I don't even care."

He turned away from Mitchie, inwardly cursing himself for being so blunt, and for joining her in her lies.

Of course he cared, more than he would have anyone know, but it was that devotion that caused his heart to beat with painful images of Mitchie's deteriorating state, his heart aching beyond belief as he walked away from a girl he knew was far from 'fine'.

* * *

Tess Tyler paced the grounds of Camp Rock, sharp puffs of air being pushed from her pursed lips as her designer shoes crashed against the gravel. She had never been so humiliated in her life, and she couldn't believe that someone as insignificant as Mitchie Torres had been the cause.

"How dare she talk to me like that!" she cried furiously, balling her hands into fists. A growl escaped her lips as her feet continued to stomp over the earth, her white pumps growing darker as dirt began to cover them.

This was the type of thing that normally would have infuriated her but right now she was engulfed with her monumental loathing for Mitchie Torres.

"Babe, calm down," Daniel cooed, his lips twitching into a slight smile as he watched Tess stalk around in a wide circle, anger radiating from her.

"Shut it!" Tess snapped, causing her boyfriend to chuckle slightly. He wandered backwards, leaning nonchalantly against a tall tree.

"What's the big deal?" Eric, the strawberry blonde, asked dumbly, his attention clearly on that of a squirrel that was making its way up the path, bristly tail waggling carelessly in the air.

"What's the big deal?!" Tess fumed, edging closer to the wide-eyed Eric. "Are you joking or are you really just that dumb?"

"Just leave him alone, honey," Daniel sighed from his spot by the tree, watching as Tess backed away from the timid boy and Eric's eyes quickly returned to the squirrel.

"Ergh, I don't even know how your idiot cousin got into this bloody camp," Tess replied under her breath, brushing her silky blond locks from her eyes.

"Because you have to be talented to get in, not smart," David answered, watching as Tess's gaze snapped over to him, her glare alone threatening to make his heart stop. "Why don't you go sort out your Mitchie problem….turn her into Brown for bullying or something," Daniel offered.

Tess's face lit up at the suggestion, her lips twisting into an evil smile.

"You are a genius!" Tess exclaimed, sauntering over to Daniel and placing a soft, lingering kiss on his lips. She sighed into the kiss as Daniel tugged her closer, clearly enjoying the closeness.

"That is exactly why you're my girlfriend," Daniel agreed. "You've got the beauty and I've got the brains. We're perfect for each other."

Tess grinned.

"Sure. I'll be back in a bit, babe," she whispered as she pawed at Daniel's shirt, winking at him as she backed away. She waved seductively and stalked off in the opposite direction, leaving her two loyal followers behind her.

Tess clenched her firsts as a sharp burst of excitement shot through her. The thrill she received from scheming and coming up with new and incredibly evil plans had always scared her slightly, but nowhere near enough for her to stop.

She smirked to herself as she played out her fantasies of Brown excluding Mitchie from Camp Rock forever. Tess's feet moved her hastily past the cabins and the artefacts of nature that surrounded her. She ignored the environment, just as she always did; right now her mind was unable to tear itself away from imagining Mitchie's demise.

Her devious smile grew wider as Brown's office came into view, his door open for easy access. Tess skipped over the last few steps, taking one last stride into the office.

"I'm not sure why she didn't want to sing, I thought that would help her."

Tess stopped abruptly. Brown was sitting on his desk with his back to her, lost in his conversation. She sensed he was talking about Mitchie, but she wasn't sure exactly who he was talking to.

"Any child would handle this badly but this has gone too far, I mean, she's getting worse."

Tess's eyebrows rose as she heard Connie Torres' voice enter the room through the speakerphone.

She pursed her lips.

So something had happened to Mitchie over the summer...

Something that she had no doubt Mitchie wanted to be kept secret...

Tess quickly re-evaluated her plan as she stepped a little further into the room.

She tried not to breathe, knowing that one little sound could give her away.

She listened with building apprehension, awaiting the piece of information that she knew was only seconds away.

It was only a matter of time before someone discovered Mitchie's secret anyway, and shared it with the rest of the campers. It was inevitable. What harm could it do to speed up the process?

Tess's eyes gleamed cruelly.

She was about to find out Mitchie's secret, the reason why she was acting so unlike herself.

If the moment hadn't been so tense, she would have laughed. It was almost like last summer all over again.

She held her breath as she heard Connie's weary voice come over the speaker.

Her eyes widened as she took in what Connie was saying, but it didn't take long for the surprise to wear off and a slow smile to creep across her face.

Perfect.

The news was devastating; news that for anyone else would cause a pang of pain or sorrow, even a few tears, but for Tess was merely something she could use against her already despondent rival...

She crept out of the office, her mind twisted with images of Mitchie's face; those sunken cheeks, emotionless eyes, angry tears, begging her not to do it, not to expose her secret.

But it was too late now.

Tess Tyler knew too much, she was already in far too deep.

Anyone who thought she would let guilt and sympathy get in the way of her cunningness was wrong.

Very wrong.

Mitchie's secret would no longer be kept under lock and key.

No.

It would be exposed for all of Camp Rock to hear, and Tess Tyler would be the one to do it.

Tess Tyler would be the one to finally bring Mitchie Torres down.

* * *

**A/N: Naughty Tess!**

**Ha ha. =)**

**What do you think Mitchie's secret is? ****Correct guess gets a virtual cookie! ;)**

**Thanks for reading, we'd love it if you could review and tell us what you think?**

**Hope you're enjoying this story!**

**Hugs,**

**Emma and Kacee**

**X**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This is an amazingly fast update for me (Kacee). I'm usually terrible at updating, but Emma's great and we are having so much fun writing this story so we got the next chapter written even faster than usual. You all deserve it! Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews, this is your reward :)**

* * *

Tess Tyler strutted into the Mess Hall, a smug smile occupying her lips.

The place was filled with hungry animals, all talking loudly amongst themselves as they ravaged the meals in front of them.

A few of the female members of the Camp had turned to stare at Tess, awe and jealously glistening in their eyes. But of course that was to be expected. This was the greeting Tess always anticipated and always received. After all, she was Tess Tyler; daughter of the famous TJ Tyler and reigning queen here at Camp Rock.

She ignored their stares just as she always did, expertly flicking her hair behind her shoulders and holding her perfect features high in the air. Her footsteps slowed until she finally came to a graceful yet meaningful halt in the center of the room, where she surveyed her surroundings.

She narrowed her heavily mascara covered eyes as they searched the hall, wavering over each unimportant head until she found the least important one of them all.

Mitchie.

Tess fought back the smirk that threatened to rip across her face as she strolled casually towards her.

Inwardly, her heart was swelling with excitement.

This was it.

Her one chance to bring Mitchie down.

The fact that the girl had been through a hell of a lot in the last few months didn't play on Tess' heartstrings at all. In fact, it only increased her enthusiasm.

It would be simple now, so simple; Mitchie had made herself an easy target. And from such a close range, there was no chance that Tess could miss hitting the bull's-eye. The thought made her glossed lips twitch, curling into the beginnings of a smile.

No. There was no chance at all.

Tess eyed Mitchie thoughtfully as she advanced.

Somehow, she seemed even more dismal and depressed than she usually did; picking despondently at her food, her face pale and devoid of all emotion. And she was alone; sitting by herself in the far corner of the Mess Hall, trying desperately to appear invisible.

But no one could hide from Tess Tyler; no one could run from her malicious schemes. It was far too late now, anyway. Tess knew exactly what she wanted and she refused to stop until she had it.

_Mitchie won't remain unnoticed for long_, Tess thought cruelly to herself. _Not when the entire Camp hears exactly what I've got to say._

Tess spun around with a flourish just before she reached Mitchie's table. She put her fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle. The chatting and laughter ceased as if by magic.

Every camper turned to stare, hundreds of curious eyes upon Tess. A few people began whispering to each other, wondering what was going on.

"If I could have everyone's attention," Tess purred loudly, smoothing her hair back behind her ears. "I have something I'd like to say." A few  
people rolled their eyes and turned back to their meals, but most of the campers seemed to be paying her their absolute and undivided attention. Tess glanced quickly around the room, gleefully taking in all the inquisitive faces before opening her mouth to speak.

"I wonder if you've noticed," she began as smoothly as if she were discussing the weather. "That amongst all of the happy faces here this year at Camp Rock, there appears to be one person who doesn't belong; one person who doesn't want to sing, who doesn't want to play the guitar, the keyboard, or socialize with anybody. One person…" she continued with a sad smile, "…who doesn't even want to be here."

She took a few steps to the side so that the whole room could see Mitchie.

Tess looked over her shoulder stonily at the frail girl in the corner, the girl whose eyes had widened dramatically, her body stiff.

"What have you got to say about this, Mitchie?" Tess asked silkily, taking a slow taunting step towards the brunette. "Anything?" She barely managed to restrain the laugh that was bubbling threateningly within her throat.

There was a moment of silence. Mitchie cautiously shook her head, her cheeks developing a small ounce of color as a blush formed. She kept her eyes on her food, her body shivering slightly. The room was silent, everyone's eyes flicking excitedly between her and Tess.

"Nothing? Are you too afraid of what the other campers will think?" Tess pressed, her smile mocking. "Too afraid of what your friends will think? Is that it?" Tess moved closer, her voice dripping with fake sympathy.

There was no reply, and Tess' voice hardened. "Why don't you tell them, Mitchie? Why don't you tell them why you've been acting so strangely? Why you don't want to be here?"

The accusation was too much.

Mitchie couldn't take it any longer.

She couldn't stand having everyone's eyes on her, just waiting for her to speak.

She looked up, eyeing Tess darkly.

"You don't know," she told her quietly. "You don't know anything."

"Oh, don't I?" Tess replied, raising her eyebrows cruelly. "So I don't know how worried your mother's been about you all these last months? How you've not been eating, how you've stopped socializing, stopped going out with your friends? You don't have any of those now though, do you Mitchie? No. No friends at all." She laughed at Mitchie's look of hurt and continued loudly. "You've stopped playing your guitar, stopped singing, stopped writing songs; you don't even listen to music anymore. And it used to be everything to you. You've-"

"Stop," Mitchie whispered, her voice weak and frail as she used her strongest breath for one last plea. Each sentence had torn at her heart,  
shredding it to pieces, one by one. She clutched her head tightly in her hands, shaking uncontrollably. Hearing about how she had been behaving in the last few months was agony for her.

She couldn't handle it.

She had to get out.

With the thought of escape fresh in her mind Mitchie rose feebly to her feet, one hand gripping tightly onto the table.

"And do you want to know the reason for all of this madness?" Tess continued boldly, turning to the rest of the campers. "Why Mitchie's been acting this way?"

A few whispers broke out, but Tess waved her hands to silence them.

Mitchie looked up at her through watery eyes. Her hand clutched even tighter onto the table, the knuckles a tense shade of white. She shook her head slowly, her mouth dry as she felt all the energy drain from her. Her legs shook uncontrollably beneath her, threatening to fall or perhaps even snap under the pressure.

"Tess, please…" Mitchie managed to choke out, her voice coated with despair.

"Two months ago," Tess began, ignoring Mitchie completely. "Mitchie's father was…"

She paused for dramatic effect; a smile gracing her lips before she uttered the words that she knew would destroy Mitchie from the inside out.

"…killed in a hit and run accident."

The room seemed to gasp simultaneously the second the words rolled destructively from her tongue.

A deathly silence followed.

Everyone sat frozen, too scared to move; terrified of making the first noise.

The overwhelming silence dragged on, refusing to disappear.

Tess grinned triumphantly as she looked around the stunned room, opening her mouth to shatter the eerie silence. "And she's _never _gotten over it."

Her words seemed to drag Mitchie back to reality. She blinked dazedly, taking in the crowd; Tess' cunning smile, the campers' sympathetic eyes, everybody staring at her. At _her_. A tear leaked down her cheek as her Dad's face filled her mind.

He was gone.

Gone forever.

His life had been selfishly taken by some idiot who had collided with him on the street; some idiot who hadn't even stopped to see if he was ok; some idiot who had taken his life away in seconds, without a single thought, who had crushed his future and Mitchie's heart all in one swift motion.

Through her tears she could see Tess moving even closer to her, she could see Shane and Caitlyn sitting next to each other, their eyes shining with concern and realization.

So she did the only thing she knew how to do; she turned and ran.

The tears streamed down her cheeks as she raced through the Mess Hall doors and out into the Camp grounds. She could hear someone calling her name, but she didn't stop or look back.

The fact that someone cared only made her run faster.

She didn't deserve anyone's sympathy.

She hated Tess, and she hated this place, but it was herself that she hated more than anything else in the world.

She was weak.

Breakable.

No better off than a fragile piece of china.

A pathetic excuse for a person.

After years of thinking she was invincible, one traumatic loss had shattered her into a million pieces. And as she finally felt her legs give out beneath her, she knew she was irreparable...

* * *

"Mitchie's father was… killed in a hit and run accident."

Tess' words were enough to make Shane's mouth drop open. He turned to stare at Caitlyn in disbelief, and he found his own emotions mirrored in her eyes.

"Is that true?" Caitlyn whispered shakily after a moment of stunned silence.

Tess continued before Shane could answer. "And she's _never_ gotten over it."

Shane's eyes fell upon Mitchie, and his heart almost stopped at what he saw. She looked terrible. Her eyes were strangely unfocused and she was  
swaying dizzily; it looked as though she were about to pass out. The room broke into alarmed whispers and Mitchie finally looked up, her eyes filled with tears. She glanced at Shane and Caitlyn for a moment, and a sob escaped her lips.

Suddenly she turned and fled; staggering through the silent crowd and out through the open doors, barely managing to keep her balance.

"Mitchie!" Shane shouted after her, standing up from his seat worriedly as she disappeared from sight. The room erupted into sound, but Shane barely heard a thing.

All he could think about was Mitchie.

"I'm going after her," he told Caitlyn, his voice anxious. But when he looked around, the seat where Caitlyn had been sitting was empty. Nate  
wasn't at the table any longer either, and nor was Jason, who Shane had barely gotten a chance to talk to since arriving at Camp. There seemed to be a crowd forming around the center of the Mess Hall, but Shane's curiosity at what was going on was completely overshadowed by his worry for Mitchie. He sprinted past the gathering crowd and raced through the wide doors, his gaze intent on the small figure just vanishing into the distance.

* * *

"Caitlyn, don't be stupid," Nate told her firmly, grabbing onto her arm and pulling her back.

"Nate, let me go," she muttered, her angry eyes still focused on Tess who was watching her, eyes challenging, from the center of the room.

"It's not worth it, Caity," Nate said in frustration, gripping tightly onto her arm as she thrashed against him.

"It is worth it! I can't believe she just did that!" Caitlyn cried furiously, her heart pumping in her chest as she tried to escape from Nate's grasp. "She's not going to get away with it."

"You should be worried about Mitchie right now, not about killing Tess Tyler," Nate reminded her.

Caitlyn finally managed to pull away. She glared at Nate, her eyes full of hurt. "I am worried about Mitchie, of course I am! But Shane's dealing  
with that now, look." She pointed at the figure racing through the doors. "So I'm going to deal with Tess."

Before Nate could stop her, she spun around. In a few quick strides she was in front of Tess Tyler, fists clenched tightly by her sides, ready to wipe the satisfied smirk off of her face.

"Oh, you heard about your little friend then, Caitlyn?" Tess asked with a sneer. Daniel and Eric, her two faithful bodyguards, now stood protectively on each side of her. "Sad, isn't it?" she laughed.

"How dare you," Caitlyn muttered through clenched teeth.

She flexed her fists angrily, her knuckles a violent white. "Mitchie would have told us when she was ready. You had no right to tell the whole Camp about her father, that's private. It was none of your business, and it's none of anybody else's business, either."

"Really?" Tess said mockingly.

People were beginning to gather around now, intrigue buzzing throughout the hall.

Tess laughed gleefully.

She loved having an audience. "You're just jealous that Mitchie confided in _me_, Caitlyn, and not _you_."

"She didn't confide anything in you," Caitlyn spat, although there was a tiny sliver of doubt in her mind. "She hates you."

A few people in the crowd laughed, but Tess merely smiled. "Aren't you pleased that now you finally know what Mitchie's problem was? I mean, it's not like she would have told you. I thought I was doing you a favor, Caitlyn."

"Liar," Caitlyn breathed, taking a step forward so that she was only a few inches away from Tess' face. "You did it to hurt Mitchie."

Tess smirked.

Caitlyn shook with a fury that was only heightened further when Tess let out a high, tinkling laugh.

That was it.

She couldn't take it any more.

She finally exploded, unable to control herself any longer.

She lunged forward, her balled fist soaring through the air until it collided, satisfactorily, against Tess' jaw.

A small shriek escaped Tess' lips as she stumbled backwards, straight into the arms of two furious males.

Caitlyn stepped back also, a smile upon her lips and her breathing heavy.

Man, that had felt good.

She looked down at her fist. It was thumping with pain, but a pain that Caitlyn was enjoying very much.

"You deserve a lot worse," Caitlyn whispered as Tess' cursing subsided.

Suddenly her vision was blocked by the puffed out torso of Daniel. She shuddered as she looked up at his intense, almost murderous gaze. "What!?" she snapped, desperate not to show an ounce of the fear she was feeling as he towered over her.

"You shouldn't have done that," Daniel muttered maliciously. He took a step closer, threateningly cracking his knuckles in front of Caitlyn's masked features. She gulped silently as she took a step back, eyeing the ludicrously muscular torso in front of her. "How dare you touch Tess," Daniel fumed, taking another intimidating step closer.

"Leave it out," another voice growled.

Caitlyn quickly realized that Nate had pushed his way between the two, one of his hands nervously in front of Daniel's chest, the other hovering protectively over Caitlyn.

"No Nate, I can take him," Caitlyn said cockily with a forced laugh. Of course she didn't really believe that, but hey, Caitlyn Gellar would not show  
cowardice.

The last thing she noticed was Nate's head snapping around to face her, anger glinting in his eyes.

Two arms suddenly snaked around her waist, pulling her from the circle and through the doors.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Nate cried as Jason placed Caitlyn down on her feet. She staggered a few steps forward, the cool breeze tickling her bare throat and she choked, taking in a deep gulping breath.

Oh my God.

What had she just done?

Nate and Jason were standing above her.

Jason looked stunned, but Nate looked furious.

"What were you thinking?!" he shouted. His anger sliced at her like a dagger, and she couldn't help wincing. "Did you not see those two guys Tess had with her? That one guy looked like he was going to kill you!" Nate paused for a moment, breathing heavily. "I'm going to tear him apart if he looks at you like that again," he mumbled under his breath. He kept his eyes trained upon his foot, which he was kicking violently into the dirt.

Caitlyn's breaths came out in sharp gasps; she seemed dazed as she continued to titter on the spot. "Are you okay?" Nate asked suddenly. He took her arm, his touch gentle, the anger in his voice transforming to concern.

"I'm fine," Caitlyn assured him after a moment. She took in another deep breath of air and sighed, smoothing down her T-shirt.

"Wow, you really flew at her," Jason told her, his eyes gleaming with admiration. Caitlyn let a small half-hearted laugh escape her lips.

"You could've gotten hurt," Nate said as he frowned sternly at Jason.

"I wasn't planning on doing that," Caitlyn admitted soberly, looking towards the Mess Hall doors at the campers beginning to trickle out. "But she just made me so mad…I…" she trailed off, clenching her fists again at the memory of Tess' gleeful laughter. When Caitlyn finally looked up at  
Nate, he was surprised to see the blush that crept across her cheeks. "Sorry I didn't listen to you," she murmured. "I know that was stupid. And thanks…both of you…for stepping in."

Nate sighed, nodding. He looked at Caitlyn closely, and for the first time detected the sadness in her eyes. "Caity, what's wrong?" he asked  
softly, gazing at her with concern.

"Nothing. I… I'm just wondering where Mitchie is," Caitlyn said slowly, shaking her head. "I feel awful, I really hope she's okay."

"Don't worry," Nate told her gently. "Shane will be with her. She'll be fine."

When she still looked unsure, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a soft embrace. Her pulse sped up at the touch of his skin upon hers, and she sunk into it gratefully. She smiled tenderly at Jason over Nate's shoulder, closing her eyes comfortably as he raised his hand to touch her cheek. Her fears melted away for the briefest of moments.

* * *

Shane was gaining on the figure in the distance, his long legs far faster than her small frail ones. "Mitchie!" he yelled. "Wait!"

To Shane's frustration she didn't stop, instead she seemed to gain speed slightly, the sound of his voice seemingly fueling her legs. But suddenly the figure in the distance came to an abrupt halt. Shane slowed a little, his brows furrowing in confusion as he studied the figure. His heart leapt into his throat as he watched her legs buckle, her body falling into a crumpled heap upon the floor.

"Mitchie!" he bellowed anxiously, increasing his pace once more, desperate to be at Mitchie's side.

It didn't take him long to get there, his legs pumping faster than he could ever have imagined possible. He breathed a sigh of relief as he neared the mess of limbs, his feet grinding to a halt as he crashed to his knees at her side, his hands hovering over her hair covered face as he watched his friend begin to shiver with sobs.

"Mitchie," he whispered. He sucked in a deep breath, his stomach feeling empty at the sight of the broken girl in front of him. "Mitchie," Shane  
whispered again as her sob's increased in volume and severity.

He had never wanted to hold her more, but he was terrified that she would reject his attempts of comfort. But as another cry echoed through the grounds and stabbed him violently through the heart, he couldn't resist.

He placed a gentle hand on her back. She stiffened suddenly under his touch, apparently only now becoming aware of his presence.

"S-Shane?" she stuttered through her tears. She shifted her body, her miserable eyes looking up at him.

"Yeah Mitch, it's me," Shane whispered quietly. At his words she recoiled, forcing herself into a seating position and pushing herself away from him.  
"Mitch…" Shane said sadly, watching as she used her feet to propel herself backwards, tears staining her cheeks.

"I-I..." she stuttered through her tears, her eyes wide with fear.

"Mitch, you don't have to say anything. I'm sorry….about your Dad," he said slowly, scared of how she would react as he stayed in his position. Mitchie closed her eyes at the reference to her father, the stab of pain which she always felt dispersed through her, although somehow it seemed  
different. Dare she say less painful?

She opened her eyes again, swallowing as she watched Shane's fearful stance. He looked as though he were desperate to comfort her, yet too scared to cross the boundary that she had selfishly enforced upon the pair.

"I…I…" she started again, shaking her head as she fought against her weak body. "I'm… Sorry I didn't tell you."

"Mitchie you don't have..." Shane started, but Mitchie held a trembling hand up to silence him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she repeated despondently, trying to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry I ignored your phone calls and I'm sorry I yelled at you. I should have spoken to you about it, you and Caitlyn. I was stupid and…I just…I'm sorry." Her voice cracked as her mind drifted back to the last few months. She had been stupid. Why hadn't she realized how much she had pushed them all away? "I understand if you hate me," she added as more tears forced their way from her eyes, pushing roughly through her eyelids.

"Mitchie," Shane said sadly, his heart threatening to break as he watched her renewed sobs.

Her words kept echoing through his mind.

He instinctively crawled over to her quivering body, wrapping one arm tightly around her shoulder as if trying to hold her together. There was a moment of silence. Shane held his breath sharply, waiting for her reaction.

Mitchie smiled ever so slightly as a small amount of warmth transferred through her body, Shane's touch was tender against her cold skin, his contact sending small tingles through her limbs.

Shane closed his eyes slowly as he felt Mitchie move into his hug, tilting her head to rest it upon his shoulder, her hand upon his stomach where she bundled his shirt between her fingers. He felt his throat tighten as his shoulder dampened with her tears, his jaw clenching as he felt how skinny she truly was. He moved his hand to clasp hers as he fought back his own tears. They sat like that for an uncountable amount of time; Shane's other hand moving gently against her back as he soothed her tears, placing soft kisses against her hairline as he waited for the tears to run dry.

"You know I could never hate you, right?" Shane whispered once he was certain that her tears had stopped. She froze, clutching his hand desperately.

"I thought because…"

"You thought wrong," he said strongly, not even allowing her to finish.

"Really?" her small voice questioned.

"Really."

Mitchie felt a wave of relief and happiness wash through her at his words.

"Everything's going to be okay now, Mitchie, you'll see," Shane assured her, brushing a stray hair tenderly from her cheek. Mitchie remained quiet, ignoring the skepticism she felt. "I mean it," he added sternly, sensing her doubt as he held her a little tighter. "Me and Caitlyn, we're here for you. And I promise that even if you don't want us to be, we're not going away. I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to help you, Mitchie," Shane declared, looking down as he heard Mitchie sniff, her eyes glistening with tears once more. "You'll get through this."

"Shane, I…Thank you, but…" Mitchie bit her lip tentatively. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"I know I don't have to…But I want to," Shane said sincerely, placing a light kiss on her forehead as he felt her shift deeper into his arms.

He knew that it would take some work.

He wasn't stupid enough to think that everything would be fixed with just a click of his fingers, but Shane was willing to do whatever it would take to help Mitchie.

He didn't care what, or who, got in his way.

He vowed then and there, as he held Mitchie protectively in his strong arms, that he would not rest until he saw her beautiful smile once again at home upon her saddened features.

* * *

**A/N: Aww. Don't yall just love Smitchie? =)**

**Thanks for all your guesses! Congrats to the couple of you who guessed correctly too, nice job ;)**

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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! Enjoy Chapter 4 of Paranoid :)**

* * *

Caitlyn Gellar sat distractedly on her bed, her heart beating with rapid pace as Nate draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. It was calming; just sitting there silently, listening to his slow even breaths and watching the rise and fall of his chest.

It was peaceful; their slow breaths mingling together, uniting as one in the bitingly fresh air of Caitlyn's cabin.

She could feel his thumb grazing timidly over her shoulder. It was obvious he wanted nothing more than to comfort her, yet he was still too fearful of destroying the relationship they had already built. He didn't want to lose her.

She tilted her head, letting her gaze rest upon his face. His features were unreadable as he looked down at her, but she managed to stretch a tired smile upon her lips nonetheless.

A deafening silence engulfed the couple, and Caitlyn suddenly became very self-conscious under his intense stare.

"What?" she whispered, her voice slightly strained as Nate chuckled.

"It's nothing," he replied, shaking his head. "I was just thinking about what happened earlier." He grinned suddenly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I always knew you were feisty, Caity, but I never thought you were violent."

Caitlyn glared at him. "You would have done the exact same thing, Nate. Besides, Tess deserved it." Her eyes flashed with anger. "I wish I'd gotten another one in before you dragged me off of her."

Nate eyed her sternly before opening his mouth to protest. "If you'd gotten another one in, those two male followers of hers would have killed you then and there." Nate spoke stonily, his arms clasping a little tighter around Caitlyn's shoulders as he said the words.

Anger bubbled like acid in his stomach.

Before Caitlyn could reply, a knock echoed through the room, making them both glance towards the doorway.

Caitlyn's eyes widened.

There, silhouetted in the shadows, stood Mitchie. Her hair lay tangled wildly around her shoulders, and her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. It was obvious she had been crying.

Shane was right beside her, clutching on tightly to her hand.

Mitchie and Caitlyn eyed each other for a long minute of tentative silence. Finally Mitchie stepped forward and Shane released her hand obediently. He flashed Caitlyn a brief smile before gesturing for Nate to follow him and leave the two girls alone to talk. Nate nodded, giving Caitlyn's hand a quick squeeze before trailing outside after Shane.

As soon as the girls were alone, Mitchie gave Caitlyn a tiny smile and moved to sit down on the bed opposite her. Suddenly her fingers became extremely interesting to her; she twisted them around and through each other, intent on what she was doing.

She was determined not to look at Caitlyn. If she did, she knew she'd burst into tears again, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Caitlyn sighed. "Mitch, I… I'm really sorry. About your dad and… About…" she trailed off momentarily, running a harried hand through her curls, "…. Not being a very good friend to you."

Mitchie's head snapped up, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I haven't been a good friend," Caitlyn continued boldly. Her voice was edged with regret. "I should have been more persistent, kept calling you… I should've realized something was wrong."

"Caitlyn… I- It wasn't you that was the bad friend. It was me," Mitchie murmured, her voice fragile and her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't want you to think it was your fault, not for a second. I shut myself away, I lied to you, I ignored you. How could you possible have known?" Mitchie's voice cracked. She sucked in a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry; you don't understand just how much I regret everything I did. I just…I didn't realize how much I relied on you… And Shane… To keep me… Well, to keep me sane," Mitchie finally concluded, looking relieved to make it through her apology with only a few tears trailing over her cheeks.

She finally dared a glance at Caitlyn: she seemed frozen, an ecstatic smile upon her face.

Simultaneously the two girls stood from their beds, walking towards one another before flying together in a joyful embrace. Caitlyn laughed slightly as it happened. They swayed from side to side for a few moments before they both pulled apart, gripping onto each others' forearms.

"I missed our little talks we used to have," Caitlyn admitted, unable to wipe the grin off of her face. "All our inside jokes… It hasn't been the same just with Nate, Shane and Jason: too many guys."

Mitchie grinned in agreement.

Caitlyn felt a pang of happiness move through her body at the sight of Mitchie's smile. It had been so long since she had seen her happy. Caitlyn returned the smile eagerly before they crossed the room together, collapsing next to one another on Mitchie's bed.

"How was Shane?" Caitlyn asked curiously, noting the spark that seemed to be beginning to light up Mitchie's eyes.

She was sure that Shane was the cause of it.

That boy had a way with words sometimes. "What did you two talk about?"

"Oh, we just talked about…about my... Dad," Mitchie said, struggling to force the word out. "And our- our friendship."

"Friendship?" Caitlyn repeated, her eyes twinkling mischievously. A rosy blush crept across Mitchie's cheeks. "You still like him," Caitlyn accused, but she was grinning triumphantly.

This statement quickly made Mitchie blush an even deeper shade of red. "Well… I…Um…" Mitchie stalled.

The thought of Shane still made her heart do little pitter-patters in her chest. He was so sweet, and the way he looked at her, the way he had held her so gently earlier made her ache for his embrace. "I guess I do. So how about you and Nate?" Mitchie queried, her voice turning to a teasing tone.

She was pleased at the red that spread rapidly over Caitlyn's cheeks.

"What about me and Nate?" Caitlyn asked, feigning innocence.

Mitchie smiled. "Are you guys… A couple yet?"

Caitlyn was suddenly still. "No, we're just friends."

"You didn't look like just friends when I came in," Mitchie persisted.

"Neither did you and Shane."

Mitchie and Caitlyn grinned at each other, and there was a moment of comfortable silence that followed.

"Oh, and is it true?" Mitchie questioned after a moment, continuing as Caitlyn shot her a curious look. "When Shane and I were walking over here... We heard some people talking about you... I mean, it's probably just a stupid rumour, but I want to know..." She scrutinized Caitlyn, her eyes cautious. "Did you punch Tess in the face?"

Now that she had said it out loud, it sounded ridiculous. How could a sweet little thing like Caitlyn be capable of violence?

Mitchie's thoughts twisted back to her journey over here with Shane; his silken hand had been entwined with her own, his warmth and devotion pouring through her. She could still picture Shane's features twisting into shock as they heard the words, but it quickly transformed into amusement as he declared Caitlyn's brilliance. Mitchie had been unsure and sceptical, but the triumphant and proud look that appeared across Caitlyn's face was as good as a confession.

"Caitlyn!" she gasped, nudging her in the arm. "You are so bad!" Mitchie laughed, the sound reverberated off of the walls, bouncing around the cabin and landing harmoniously against Caitlyn's ears. She couldn't help the happiness that flooded her body.

A smile tweaked at the corners of Caitlyn's lips. She had worried that it would take time to repair their shattered friendship, but those worries had been in vain. She should have known, really. Her relationship with Mitchie was strong. Yes, it was breakable, just as every true friendship was, but it was also able to heal quickly, and for that Caitlyn was thankful.

"You know, I've really missed you Mitch," Caitlyn finally said as Mitchie's laughter died down. "I'm glad you're back."

A lone and abrupt tear suddenly trickled slowly down Mitchie's cheek and Caitlyn's smile faded quickly.

Oh no.

What had she done wrong?

"Mitchie… I'm sorry, please don't cry." Caitlyn reached over and wrapped her arms around her friend, pulling her close.

"It's not you… I didn't… I'm just-" Mitchie's voice was muffled against Caitlyn's shoulder. "I.. I'm happy to be back. Caity, I missed you too."

* * *

"Here you go," Daniel declared tenderly as he handed Tess a packet of ice, which he had wrapped tightly into a towel.

"Took you long enough," Tess remarked, snatching the ice from his grip and pressing it harshly against her jaw: her jaw which was now home to a rapidly darkening bruise. It was hideous; smothering the pale ivory of her face with a gloomy purple tinge.

She grunted at the searing cold contact, her teeth gritted as she pressed it a little harder, hoping the throbbing would stop.

"How is it?" Daniel asked softly, taking a seat next to the fuming blonde on the bench.

"Oh, it's just great!" Tess spat sarcastically, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend's stupidity.

"Hey, there's not need to be rude, babe," Daniel replied, shaking his head as he did so. Tess turned to him, unmistakable fury in her eyes.

"There is every need to be rude!" Tess snapped, dark shadows appearing on her face. "You should have done something…. You should have stopped her!" Tess yanked the ice away as the cold that spread over her face became unbearable. Her entire body prickled with goose bumps.

"I did stop her, me and Eric both did!" Daniel cried instantly, his features portraying his offended emotions.

"Well, not quickly enough," Tess hissed, fingering her jaw gently, groaning as slivers of pain shot through her.

"Yes, I know," Daniel replied quietly, looking down at his shoes as if severely ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry Tess. I'll never let her hurt you again," he whispered devotedly.

"You better not," Tess shot back, not a hint of affection in her tone. "I'm going to ruin that annoying little tramp. Who the hell does she think she is?" Her shriek echoed eerily in the stark room. She threw her hands in the air, the ice pack long forgotten.

"Why don't you tell Brown?" Daniel offered for a second time.

"Tell Brown?" Tess questioned, now on her feet and spinning to face the male. "We are so past that, Daniel. Besides, I can't, I'll only get myself in trouble." Tess' voice faded out, as she became lost in her own thoughts; her evil, malicious thoughts. "He'll know I was eavesdropping on his conversation if he finds out about what happened. I mean, how else would I know about Mitchie's father?"

"You were eavesdropping on his conversation?" Daniel repeated, raising his eyebrows.

Tess scowled.

Daniel felt a chill run up his spine at the sight of his girlfriend's anger. He very tactfully changed the subject. "So what are you going to do? Whatever it is, you know I'm here for you babe, I'll help," Daniel volunteered, clearly hoping to make amends for his slip up back in the mess hall.

Tess looked down at him, her lips pressed in a hard line and her mind working over time. Her heart thumped feverishly against her chest, annoyance and frustration devouring her thoughts.

Annoyance and frustration: two emotions that Tess loathed.

Caitlyn was going to pay. That much was certain. But for once in her life Tess was unable to think of a plan, and that thought scared her more than anything.

* * *

Mitchie Torres was stretched across her bed, her eyes focused on the ceiling and her hands linked over her stomach. She had a strange expression on her face, and the position of her lips could almost have passed as a smile. She had just shaken off Caitlyn's attempts to get her to come to class. After yesterday's fiasco she wasn't sure if she could face the others campers yet. She had promised Caitlyn she would come tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

That thought made her feel sick, an empty feeling of nausea exploding in her stomach, her fears choking her throat. She shook her thoughts away, focusing on what had happened yesterday.

No, not Tess' malicious actions, but what had happened after; after her and Shane had talked, after her and Caitlyn had talked.

When she, Caitlyn, Shane, Jason and Nate had all spent the afternoon together, laughing and joking, just like it used to be. Sure, Mitchie hadn't been as jolly and expressive as she once was, but she had enjoyed herself more than she had in a long time.

She leant back and sighed, a contented smile lighting up her face.

The day had been mingled with the scent of fresh air and the zesty thrill of laughter.

She had forgotten how crazy her friends were.

Mitchie twiddled a strand of hair between her fingers, lost in thought.

Friends.

Without truly realising it, that's what she had been craving so badly for the last few months: friendship.

Her body tingled at the word.

Caitlyn. Shane. Nate. Jason.

Her friends' faces filled her mind, blown to gigantic proportions and grinning maniacally.

Today had put her whole life back into perspective.

They had chatted amiably, just like old times.

Shane had serenaded them all with his guitar, though his eyes had been focused on Mitchie the entire time.

Caitlyn had told outrageous stories that had them all in stitches on the ground, clutching their stomachs and shaking with laughter.

Nate had them all reminiscing about the 'bad boy' Shane had been a year ago, while Jason had professed his desire for someone to build him a birdhouse (At which point he glared accusingly at Shane until he apologised for not building one last year and swore endlessly that this year he would).

Mitchie had listened to Shane's music; laughed at Caitlyn's wild tales; grinned fondly at Nate's teasing. But the most astounding thing of all was that Mitchie had forgotten: for a few hours Mitchie had managed to push the overwhelming depression to the back of her mind. Not once had she thought about her father.

And for that, she couldn't be more thankful to her friends.

But could she handle the others?

No. She couldn't. Not right now, at least.

The thought made her sick to her stomach.

But tomorrow it would happen whether she was prepared or not. She knew she had to do it; the longer she waited, the harder it would become.

Mitchie jumped as she heard a knock on the cabin door, her mind being pulled, luckily, from her thoughts.

"Come in," Mitchie said half-heartedly, not bothering to raise her head.

"Hey Mitchie, Cait told me you were here."

Shane's soothing voice crashed against her ears, causing her mind to temporarily go blank. After a few moments Mitchie raised herself up by her elbows and whispered a greeting to the sensationally attractive band member, whose very appearance sent her heart into a wild gallop.

"Do you want to tell me why you aren't in Brown's lesson?" Shane questioned as he sat himself down on Caitlyn's bed. Mitchie rolled her eyes: she should have seen this coming.

"I can't face them yet," she replied quietly, dropping back against the bed.

"I can understand that."

Mitchie sucked in a breath as she heard Shane rise from the bed, feeling her own bed sink and knowing he had taken a place next to her. "Can you sing for _me _then?" Shane asked.

Mitchie whirled around to face him.

"No," she said almost instantly, wincing at the fierceness of her tone. "I...mean…I can't."

She grimaced, looking up at the ceiling once more.

"Yes you can. I know you can," Shane said softly, placing his hand over hers.

"I can't," Mitchie replied stubbornly, trying to ignore the tingles that were spiralling up her arm.

"You can, you just won't," Shane retorted. He moved his hand up her arm, pulling her into an upright position and turning her head in a gentle gesture to face his. "Come on, Mitchie…for me?" Shane asked tenderly, his eyes pleading with hers.

Mitchie's heart melted into butter and she suddenly felt ashamed of herself. Shane wanted her to sing. Why couldn't she do it?

"I…just…I can't, Shane," Mitchie said, almost inaudibly.

Shane winced when he noticed that her eyes were glittering with tears. He squeezed her hand tightly, pursing his lips as he thought of way to help her.

"Every time I think I'm closer to the heart, of what it means to know just who I am."

Mitchie shivered as Shane's soft, hypnotic voice entered the room, his words wrapping tightly around her heart. She felt two of his fingers find her chin, pulling her face up to look at him. He smiled softly before continuing.

"I think I've finally found a better place to start, but no one ever seems to understand."

Mitchie took a shaky breath as his eyes pierced into her soul, his voice causing uncontrollable thrills to leap through her.

Her mind whirled her back to the dock where he had first sung that song to her. They had hardly known each other back then.

"I need to try to get to where you are, could it be, you're not that far?"

The next words dangled in the air as Shane ceased from singing, urging her to continue. Mitchie looked at him, fear evident of her face.

"You can do it, I know you can," he whispered softly. He placed a sweet kiss upon her rosy cheek, gripping her hand again. Mitchie closed her eyes at the contact, taking a cleansing breath to prepare herself before she opened her mouth.

"You're the voice I hear inside my head." She cringed slightly as the words wavered unsteadily in the air. Her voice cracked but Shane only squeezed her hand tighter. With the sensation of his lips still evident upon her cheek Mitchie forced herself to continue.

"The reason that I'm singing; I need to find you, I've gotta find you. You're the missing piece I need the song inside of me; I need to find you, I gotta find you." Mitchie opened her eyes, a tiny smile tweaking at the corners of her lips.

"Been feelin' lost, can't find the words to say, spending all my time stuck in yesterday. Where you are is where I wanna be. Oh, next to you, with you next to me." She made sure to lock onto Shane's eyes as she finished the sentence, her heart beating beyond control.

A small tear spilled from her eye.

"See, told you," Shane said with a small laugh as he wiped the tear from Mitchie's cheek. "And, if it's possible, you're even better than I remember." He watched, satisfied, as a faint red blush spread across Mitchie's cheeks.

"Thanks," Mitchie replied timidly as a strange feeling began to explore her body, a feeling she had not felt so wholesomely in a long, long time.

Could it be?

Mitchie sat perfectly still for a moment, analyzing her situation. A wide grin slowly formed on her lips as she realized that the unfamiliar emotion bubbling in her veins was real. Happiness. True happiness.

She laughed along with Shane, her eyes dancing with ecstasy.

She was happy.

For the first time since her dad's death, she was truly happy.

Mitchie engulfed Shane in a hug, whispering more thanks in his ear. Shane wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, resting his head against her shoulder. It had been a long couple of days, but finally the sunshine seemed to be beginning to shine through the clouds. Mitchie would be fine. The storm was finally over. Soon, everything would be OK.

* * *

But that was not to be.

The storm was far from over: in fact, the storm hadn't even really begun.

Dark clouds were building in the distance, tucked behind the hill, hidden from the naked eye.

Their appearance would be sudden, unexpected.

Their effect would be deadly.

Whether Mitchie was aware of it or not, her recovery would be short lived.

Fate was about to intervene.

* * *

**A/N: Guess what?!**

**This story got flamed!**

**Ha ha. Some lovely person told us that we sucked, and why didn't we write something good for a change?!!!!!**

**Just thought we'd share that with you :)**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter??**

**Ooh, on a lighter note, it was Emma's (ConverseWithMyDress) birthday just recently! **

**So it would be extra sweet if you could review :)**

**Love and Hugs,  
Emma and Kace**

**X**


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